The rise of humanist weddings in Scotland

Ceremonies conducted by humanist celebrants are on the rise in Scotland – and are posing a challenge to the Church of Scotland as the most popular belief service.

Since Karen Watts and Martin Reijns tied the knot in the country’s first humanist wedding – at Edinburgh Zoo on June 18 2005 – more and more couples have opted to go down the humanist route.

Indeed, the number of humanist weddings exceeded the number of Roman Catholic ceremonies held in Scotland after just five years, with 2,092 in 2010, and it is thought the coincidental decline in Church of Scotland weddings has seen humanist services close the gap in recent years.

The Humanist Society Scotland estimated its celebrants would preside over more than 4,200 marriages this year, perhaps even overtaking the number carried out by Kirk ministers.

Humanism is defined as a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. Advocates of humanism also say services can incorporate more of a couple’s personalties and include more family members.

Scotland’s Makar Liz Lochhead said of the movement: “In a world where we sometimes feel despair about the human race and where differences of race culture and religion are used by the unscrupulous and powerful few to fuel hatred and violence among the powerless, what could be more important than to assert our common human capacity for change?”